Dawn broke with a soft golden light that spilled across the rolling hills surrounding Liria. Aiden tightened the straps on his simple leather pack and took one last look at the village. Smoke rose lazily from the chimneys, and the distant hum of the river reminded him of how small his life had been here.
Now, everything was different.
The road ahead wound eastward, toward the capital of Aetheria, where the Hero Academy awaited. The magister's words echoed in his mind: "The church will not see this as a blessing. Leave the village tonight… go to the Academy."
Aiden's hands brushed against the runes that still faintly glowed beneath his skin. Seven elements, all unmastered, all waiting.
Seven elements… Seven powers… Seven lights.
He walked briskly, boots crunching over the gravel road, heart thrumming with a strange mixture of excitement and fear.
The first hour passed in quiet. Birds called overhead, and the wind whispered through the silver-leaved trees. Aiden tried to memorize the shapes of the hills, the bends in the road, and the patches of forest. Every detail might matter — the System had already proven this was no ordinary world.
[DING!]
New Quest Added: Survive Your First Night on the Road
Objective: Travel 10 kilometers east toward the capital without succumbing to environmental threats.
Reward: 50 EXP | 10 Gold
"Survive my first night… great," Aiden muttered. "This world doesn't waste time."
He adjusted his pack and kept walking.
By mid-morning, the road narrowed into a dirt trail through dense woods. The sunlight filtered through the canopy in thin beams, creating a patchwork of light and shadow on the forest floor.
Then he heard it: a low growl, deep and guttural, vibrating through the trees.
Aiden froze. He scanned the underbrush and saw it — a beast, vaguely wolf-like but twice the size of any creature he'd seen on Earth. Its fur was mottled gray, eyes glowing faintly red.
Level 3 Wild Beast
The System chimed automatically.
[Enemy Detected: Wild Beast – Level 3]
HP: 45 / 45
EXP on Defeat: 30
Weakness: Water
Aiden's stomach tightened. He had never fought anything like this. He'd read RPG manuals, played countless fantasy games, and yet… nothing could prepare him for this.
Okay… System, let's see what I can do.
Aiden's fingers tingled with energy. He focused. Fire, Water… something deep inside whispered for fusion.
"Fire… Wind?" he muttered. A spark ignited in his palm. He threw it forward, and a bolt of orange lightning streaked toward the beast.
The creature yelped, staggering back as the hybrid strike hit. Its fur smoked where the electricity met fire.
[Enemy Hit – Weakness Exploited]
Damage: 20
Enemy HP: 25 / 45
Aiden's pulse raced. The System chimed again.
[Elemental Fusion: Success. +10 EXP]
The beast lunged. Aiden sidestepped instinctively, raising his hand. Water. He conjured a jet of water that froze instantly in the air, forming a barrier. The wolf's claws slammed against it, snapping ice and fur alike.
[Enemy HP: 10 / 45]
With a final thought, Aiden fused Fire + Water, and the resulting Steam Blast enveloped the creature, disorienting it. A concentrated physical strike later, the beast collapsed, defeated.
[Enemy Defeated]
EXP Earned: 30
Gold Dropped: 5
Aiden exhaled, knees weak. His first combat, and he had survived — barely.
[Level Up! Level 2 Achieved]
HP +10 | MP +10 | Strength +2 | Agility +2
Skill Slot Unlocked
New Skill Available: Fireball (Lv.1)
The woods fell silent again. Aiden wiped sweat from his brow, feeling the reality of the system's presence. Every action, every choice, was now quantifiable.
And yet, the thrill of power coursing through him was intoxicating. He could survive. He could fight. He could become more than a commoner.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, he emerged from the forest. In the distance, perched on the edge of a wide valley, the capital city of Aetheria glittered like a jewel. Towers of stone and crystal reflected the last light of day, and the massive gate shimmered faintly with protective wards.
Aiden's chest tightened. That was where he was headed. That was where he would enroll in the Hero Academy.
And somewhere inside, he knew this was only the beginning.
The seven lights inside him pulsed faintly in rhythm with his heartbeat. He flexed his fingers, feeling the raw, untapped potential of all seven elements.
"Alright," he whispered, voice low but firm. "Let's see what it takes to survive this world… and maybe even master it."
He took a deep breath and stepped forward. The city awaited — and with it, destiny.